Enrollment
354
Mississippi · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pontotoc, MS
D T Cox Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for D T Cox Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280369000704
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
D T Cox Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Pontotoc · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.8:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 72.6%
- free-lunch eligible
D T Cox Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 71% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, D T Cox Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Pontotoc, MS.
School address
District: Pontotoc City Schools · Mississippi
NCES ID 280369000704 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.8:1
vs 13.3:1 Mississippi avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.6%
vs 80.5% Mississippi avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How D T Cox Elementary School compares with Mississippi and U.S. medians
What stands out at D T Cox Elementary School
D T Cox Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Pontotoc, Mississippi, enrolling 354 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Mississippi schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 72.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 354 students, its enrollment sits close to the Mississippi median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 877 scored Mississippi schools.
Against 130 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 354 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pontotoc's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Pontotoc Elementary School (776 students): D T Cox Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.8:1 vs 12.7:1).
Pontotoc City Schools also operates Pontotoc High School (712 students) and Pontotoc Elementary School (657 students) alongside D T Cox Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How D T Cox Elementary School compares
D T Cox Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.6% | ▼ 10% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 354 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
354
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% below the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 29% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
19.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$9,827
per pupil, district-wide
- below Mississippi avg of $11,990
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 354 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 49.2%
African American 23.7%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 2.0%
Largest group: White at 49.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.5, D T Cox Elementary School is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pontotoc City Schools, which includes D T Cox Elementary School.
$9,827
Per student
-18%
vs Mississippi
Avg $11,990
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.6%
State 56.0%
Federal 24.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How D T Cox Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontotoc High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pontotoc Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pontotoc Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pontotoc Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to D T Cox Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 316
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Pontotoc
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Mississippi, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~354 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on D T Cox Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare D T Cox Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pontotoc City Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about D T Cox Elementary School
How many students attend D T Cox Elementary School?
D T Cox Elementary School has 354 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pontotoc, MS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at D T Cox Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at D T Cox Elementary School is 11.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at D T Cox Elementary School?
72.6% of students at D T Cox Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of D T Cox Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at D T Cox Elementary School is White at 49.2% of enrollment, in Pontotoc, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for D T Cox Elementary School?
D T Cox Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does D T Cox Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Pontotoc?
By Resource Investment Index, D T Cox Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Pontotoc, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Pontotoc on the city page.
Is D T Cox Elementary School a good school?
D T Cox Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Mississippi schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Mississippi schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Pontotoc City Schools?
Besides D T Cox Elementary School, Pontotoc City Schools also operates Pontotoc High School (712 students), Pontotoc Elementary School (657 students), and Pontotoc Junior High School (361 students). See the Pontotoc City Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.